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Alternatives to google maps

Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 5:54 am
by matthijs
What other map solutions do you know of, besides googlemaps, for embedding maps and geocode? One other I know off is Yahoo maps
http://developer.yahoo.com/maps/

But there are possibly other, decentral solutions (meaning something you can install directly in the project instead of relying on an API). Maybe js or flash map projects?

Re: Alternatives to google maps

Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 6:00 am
by papa
We are currently looking at: http://www.bing.com/maps/ as an alternative to Google maps. A lot cheaper, but I am not involved in the evaluation so don't know much more than that.

Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:38 am
by Jonah Bron
Buy the raw data from Navteq and output it with the <canvas> tag! :D

Re: Alternatives to google maps

Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 3:09 pm
by josh
I can give you data in ESRI format (along with PHP code that reads it and generates jpg tiles, and a flash viewer applet.. if I still have that last part)

I did it all back in 06, it was a several month project and it was considered a failure in that we couldn't get comparable detail (client ended up saying screw this just use gmaps)

We got the data for only like $2,000. Look up MapInfo StreetInfo and Worldinfo and such.

Navteq data starts at a quarter Mill, and they're going to want copies of your web stats/tax returns so they can bill you the max. amount.. I remember their sales pitch went something along those lines. Basically pay us or leave us alone. lol. They have Yahoo & Google, they simply don't need to make a sale more than once every few years.

This was back when mapquest quoted us $70k a year to build our mapping software for us. This was back when it didn't even have ajax. Prices may have come down but expect them to be still ridiculous.

So answer this first, how much detail do you need? Etc. etc?? Link to particular zoom levels on gmaps so I can get a feel for the detail ud like/need. There is even free data, us census tiger data in the same ESRI format.

Re: Alternatives to google maps

Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 1:09 am
by matthijs
Thanks for the replies.

@papa: I will have a look at bing maps. That's basically Microsofts map version, like Yahoo's and Google's isn't it?

@josh: I don't need much detail. Maybe even no more then one level of zooming. So say I have a world map and you can zoom in to about country level. And then have some pointers on the map for different items, placed dynamically through coordinates. Maybe be able to click on the pointers to link to some info pages.

So the direction I need is probably some js library plugin. There's always the option of using google maps, but if there's a different alternative in which I don't have to rely on Google and have more control over how it looks, it would be nice

Re: Alternatives to google maps

Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 2:23 am
by papa
matthijs wrote:Thanks for the replies.

@papa: I will have a look at bing maps. That's basically Microsofts map version, like Yahoo's and Google's isn't it?
Yep that's my understanding.

Re: Alternatives to google maps

Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 9:36 am
by josh
matthijs wrote: about country level.
Oh I'd roll my own. the benefits are numerous, change the colors overnight, full control over the user experience, plus... Google/Youtube have been dropping hits lately. I have a youtube sales video on my home page, lately it seems like their stuff is laggy/times out a lot.

Google for "world esri data" and stuff like that. I attached some example code. THis is 4yr old code I wrote/modified so messy warning.

http://pastebin.com/spX3DAun ESRI shapefile -> proprietary format loaded into DB
http://pastebin.com/M0HS3nc3 database -> jpeg
http://pastebin.com/2anr9zyi big jpeg -> little jpegs

Man I'm glad I still had that stuff. That system was epic in "the day", I learned so much

Re: Alternatives to google maps

Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:21 am
by matthijs
Cool, I'll go and have a look at your code Josh. Thanks

It is indeed for the reason of reliability that I'd prefer not to rely on Google. Even though obviously so many people use googlemaps nowadays that they'll do anything to keep it working.

And designwise, even if the googlemaps are functioning nice, they always look a bit clunky and can't be adapted to the design very well

Re: Alternatives to google maps

Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 3:24 pm
by josh
matthijs wrote:they'll do anything to keep it working
Like capping the traffic of 3rd party sites like yours, and plastering ads all over it unless you pay a fee. lol

Re: Alternatives to google maps

Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 5:20 pm
by wei
openstreetmaps + mapnik, all free

Re: Alternatives to google maps

Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2010 1:56 am
by josh
wei wrote:openstreetmaps + mapnik, all free
Wow its come a long way!

This is funny -> http://www.openstreetmap.org/user/JohnSmith/diary/9666
Marinas.com's photographers/pilots has similar problems. Various countries suspiciously had serious issues with them flying around taking pictures. (weapons of mass destruction? haha)